WRITTEN QUESTION E-0923/02 by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission. Transporting of deceased persons within the European Union.
Date: 2002-04-05
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU national, Treaty on European Union, approximation of laws, citizens' Europe, customs formalities, death, international convention, interpretation of the law, intra-EU transport, simplification of formalities

12.12.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 309 E/59

Reply

(3 October 2002)

The European Council embarked upon a process of reform at Helsinki in December 1999, when it adopted
a set of recommendations, and then in Göteborg and Barcelona, where it took note of the reports from the
Secretary-General/High Representative,
the
General Affairs Council, the Presidency of the Council, and the legislative activity of the Council and
transparency.

focusing on four main subjects:

the European Council,

The European Council instructed the Presidency, in close cooperation with the Council Secretary-General,
to make all appropriate contacts with the members of the European Council and with the correspondents
they nominated, with a view to submitting a report to the Seville European Council proposing specific
measures for adoption. The report was examined by the Council in the context of preparations for the
Seville European Council.

In the light of a summary report accompanied by detailed proposals, the European Council meeting in
Seville held a detailed discussion on the subject and gave its agreement to a series of specific measures
applicable, without amendment of the Treaties, to the organisation and functioning of the European
Council.

The Council would refer the Honourable Member to paragraphs 3 to 7 of the Seville European Council
conclusions and to Annexes I and II which give an exhaustive list of the decisions taken by the Heads of
State or Government.

(2002/C 309 E/067)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0923/02

by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission

(5 April 2002)

Subject: Transporting of deceased persons within the European Union

The transporting of deceased persons within the European Union is currently regulated by the 1937 Berlin
Arrangement and the Council of Europe’s 1973 Strasbourg Agreement. These provisions appear
problematic for several reasons, since they do not adequately take account of the European Economic
Area; they furthermore cause considerable expense because formalities are inadequately standardised and
the use of specific facilities is mandatory (e.g. zinc-lined coffins).

It is difficult to explain to the bereaved, for instance, that deceased persons may be transported right across
Austria without a zinc-lined coffin whereas such coffins are mandatory for transport between Salzburg and
Freilassing, which are only 10 km apart.

Can the Commission indicate what measures can be taken to ensure that it is no more difficult to transport
deceased persons across borders than it is to do so within a Member State?

(2002/C 309 E/068)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0935/02

by Paul Rübig (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(9 April 2002)

Subject: Cross-border repatriation of deceased persons within the EU

The repatriation of persons who have died in a country other than their country of origin is regulated
within the EU by the Berlin Convention (1937) and the Strasbourg Convention drawn up by the Council
of Europe in 1973. These arrangements no longer make sense, however, since they assume the existence of
border controls and fail to take account of the establishment of a European Economic Area. In addition,
these arrangements entail considerable costs attributable partly to the absence of standardised formalities
and partly to the prescribed products (zinc-lined coffins). It is impossible to explain to the surviving
relatives that a deceased person can be transported, for example, from Vienna to Bregenz (510 km)